"Darling, put on something to listen to, won't you?"

Rarity's voice pulls you away from the newspaper you've been focused on for several minutes. You set it down on the coffee table after taking a final look at the leading story -- some fashion store just opened a new outlet in Manehattan. Elegance something-or-other.

"Hmm? Oh, yeah. Just a sec."

You've found yourself becoming increasingly interested in Equestrian happenings as of late, mostly as a way to keep yourself occupied. Twilight's insistence on learning more about your new home has been rubbing off on you. One thing you can definitely appreciate is the lack of bad news; 'if it bleeds, it leads' is apparently not standard operating procedure for Equestrian news. In fact, the biggest bit of 'bad news' you've seen in nearly two weeks was an editorial about expanding the safe zones near the borders of the Everfree forest.

"Anything in particular?"

"I'm really not too picky, darling." You cock an eyebrow at her, adding an 'uh-huh'. "I suppose I should say I'm not picky about music. Wait...I-I am not picky in the first place! I simply have exacting taste!"

"You're picky," you tease her, picking up a stack of record sleeves from the small table next to the couch. They mostly consist of orchestral and solo mare singers, with a few swooners and showpony tunes mixed in. One of these days, you're going to spruce up that stack of records with something from that bitchin' pony DJ you've seen around town.

"How about some swing? You like swing, right?"

"Oh I don't know, I was thinking something more classical," she replies, stretching with a long yawn. Poor Rarity -- she's been exhausted all night, thanks in no small part to an unusually busy order day. Some big event is supposed to be happening soon; the Gala, she called it. Apparently it's a huge party where everyone pretends to like each other for four hours. At least, that's what she'd made it sound like. You get the feeling her past experience with the Gala has been less than ideal.

"Come on, hon. If I put on classical you're going to pass out in ten minutes."

"Perhaps you're right," she admits after several seconds. "Something a little more up-beat couldn't hurt, I suppose." She snuggles against your side as you pull out the appropriate record, setting it on the turntable and hoping you've set the needle right. What you wouldn't give for something that can play MP3s...or even a CD player. Records just feel so...archaic.

"I apologize for my less than formal hospitality tonight, darling. I feel just awful that we've not ventured outside of the Boutique! I'm sure you'd rather see the sights than sit here and read that boring old newspaper."

The record crackles and pops to life for a few seconds before a jaunty little number starts playing from the bell, heavy on the trumpet and trombone. "You say that like it's a bad thing. I'd much rather sit here with you than have to wander around Ponyville and do my best to not look awkward." You lean down and kiss the top of her head to reassure her. "Lord knows I do that enough."

"I don't think you're awkward at all," she says with a quiet laugh.

"At all?"

"Well...perhaps a little. At least you're adorable in your awkwardness! That's something not many can say, hmm?"

"I dunno, I think Fluttershy has me beat in that category." Your breakfast with the yellow pegasus last week was relatively pleasant, even if she did initially cower in fear at the sight of you. You really couldn't blame her, though. After she'd gotten used to your presence, she was downright pleasant to be around, if a little soft-spoken for your tastes. Definitely a foil to Rarity's theatrics, though; without Fluttershy around to tone Rarity down once in a while, you get the feeling your unicorn lover would spend most of the day traipsing around the house and doing her best Catherine Hepburn impression. Or was it Ingrid Bergman...?

"Hm-hmm, I'd tend to agree. I dare say Fluttershy is the crowned queen of 'adorably awkward'."

"No kidding. Despite my initial hesitation, I'm glad you took me to meet her. She's a really nice girl. I can see why you two spend so much time together."

"She's also the only one who enjoys trips to the spa as much as I do! Applejack dismisses such a thing as 'too girly'. Too girly!" She scoffs and rolls her eyes. "I realize she's more used to farm work and old hats than pedicures and dresses, but really, AJ simply looks so beautiful when she's made up!"

Applejack is one of her friends you've yet to meet, though she certainly sounds like someone you can appreciate -- a hard-working southern girl with an affinity for apples and stetsons. You're not sure about the apples part, but you can definitely get behind a fine cowboy hat. Cowpony?

"What about that Rainbow girl? The mouthy pegasus." Your one run-in with Rainbow so far has been her accidentally flying into you in a hurry to get somewhere. She didn't even take a second look before flying off, simply muttering a 'watch where you're going' instead. Hell, that was weeks ago, back when your relationship with Rarity was less than a few days old. No doubt Rainbow would be more than a little surprised by the news now...

"Rainbow Dash," she corrects you. "Yes, I'm afraid Dash is a little...headstrong at times. She has a heart of gold, and she'll always be there when you need her to be, but her ego could do with being toned down a bit. Besides, she simply despises the spa. She always eats the cucumbers! Not to mention she absolutely hates having somepony else touch her hooves. "

"Anyway, I got off track. Point being, I don't care how I spend time with you, as long as I get to do it at all."

"That's very sweet of you," she says with a warm smile. "I realize this transition from what is essentially one life to another has been hard on you, but I do my best to make sure you're feeling your best and looking your most fabulous!"

"'Fabulous' is definitely your forte," you laugh.

"But of course, darling! I do what I can. After all, we can't have you wandering Ponyville in those tattered old camouflage fatigues, now can we? And Celestia forbid we send you to work with anything less than the finest in durable, yet comfortable work clothes."

"I think Twi's been a little jealous of them, actually. I came home from work the other day and she had a small stack of clothes sitting on the table for me. She laughed and said I was going to have a closet that rivals yours soon."

"Unless you plan on constructing a closet large enough to function as another room, I somehow doubt that," she laughs. "Twilight's been very understanding through the entirety of our, ah, unconventional relationship. Perhaps her extensive studies have made her more open-minded?"

"Yeah, I'm surprised she's been so accepting of us. You should have seen her reaction back when we first started dating; I told her I was headed out for a date, and when I explained that it was a date with you, I could almost see her jaw hit the floor. Oh, man." You laugh and shake your head, adding, "she's kind of worrisome, though."

"You've no idea," Rarity replies, covering a giggle with her foreleg. "This one time, she thought she was going to be late in sending the Princess a letter on what she'd learned about friendship that week, and she ended up causing half of Ponyville to form this enormous pile of ponies, all in an attempt to get to that doll of hers! Apparently she thought it was a great idea to cast a 'want it, need it' spell on the thing, just so she could resolve the situation. Last I heard, Big Macintosh still has it..."

You laugh at the mental image of a disheveled Twilight trying to 'create' a problem to solve. It sure sounds like something she'd do; if you've learned anything about her, it's that she's obsessive about her studies and tasks. It's certainly more than you could say for yourself. 'Procrastination' would probably be how you'd sum up your habits...

"Sounds like it was an interesting day."

"Yes, I'd venture to say so. She still gets into a mood from time to time, but she's certainly better about worrying about the small things these days."

The jaunty little swing song gives way to a slower, more melodic piece. A smooth-singing mare's voice drifts from the record player, a tale of regrets and lost loves. Even with the more somber sound, you find her singing to be comforting and pleasant.

"Goodness, I suppose I've had quite the interesting time of things, haven't I? What with defeating demigods and having friends nearly destroy Ponyville and such."

"Far more interesting than I've had. Come to think of it, if I hadn't ended up here, I'd probably be sitting behind a computer screen for twelve hours a day. Provided that test went alright. Which, you know, it didn't. But thank god for that! Otherwise I'd have never ended up here."

"Even if your transition was a little rough," she adds.

"I guess the whole 'almost dying' thing counts as 'rough', huh? Man...if you hadn't shown up there..." You wrap an arm around her shoulders and squeeze her tightly, not feeling like finishing that particular sentence. "But hey -- you did show up. And the only reason I'm able to sit here with you right now is because of that."

"It wasn't entirely my doing; it was Twilight's quick thinking that got you to the hospital, after all."

"I know, and I've thanked her profusely for it. Ultimately, though, you saved my life, Rarity. And when I was laid up in the hospital, you came by every day to talk to me. You even brought me lunch and made me little gifts, even though we were so different from each other."

Rarity runs a hoof over your cheek and smiles up at you.

"Darling, we may be physically different, but in here," she points a hoof at your chest, "and in here," she gently kisses your forehead, "you are no different from anypony else. You've a beautiful mind and a wonderful heart. That is why I have not a single regret in regards to sharing my life with you. You've been everything I could have hoped for in a loving companion, and I wouldn't change a single moment we've spent together."

"Not one?" you ask with a wry smile.

"Well...perhaps that one night you ordered soup with hay in it. I don't think the noises I heard you making were healthy..."

You laugh and kiss her foreleg. "Probably not. But seriously, hon, I appreciate the kind words. I feel the exact same way. You're everything I could have asked for." You brush a hand against her cheek and add, "who would have thought my ideal woman would turn out to be a unicorn?"

"I imagine it came as a bit of a shock, yes," she giggles in that charming way you so love. "Likewise, I would have never imagined I'd fall in love with a human who literally appeared before my eyes one day. Who could even speculate on such a thing? I dare say the initial thought of a relationship with someone so completely different did raise an eyebrow, but something about you just spoke to me. Perhaps it's one of those things that transcends boundaries, hmm?"

"I'd say so. Heh...if anyone back where I came from knew about this, I'd probably be locked up in a padded cell for the rest of my life."

"A padded cell? How uncouth. I bet the pattern is absolutely atrocious in those places."

"I'll be sure to have them ask your opinion on the type of padding before they throw me in."

"But of course, darling! Can't very well have you spending your days surrounded by unfashionable nonsense, now can we?"

"I suppose not," you laugh.

You lay your head back and listen to the rest of the song, holding Rarity against you and running your hand through her curly mane. Neither of you say anything for a long minute, content to simply enjoy each others' company. You shift your position slightly as she rests her head on your chest -- she finds the sound of your breathing to be comforting, she always says. Between the music drifting from the record player and the feeling of her head gently rising and falling with your chest, you begin slowly drifting off to sleep.

"Darling?" you hear in your half-awake stupor. The sound of Rarity's voice gradually comes into focus; idly, you realize the record has stopped playing.

"Huh?" you ask as you rub your eyes. "What's up, hon?" Rarity looks up at you with an apologetic expression.

"I didn't realize you were asleep. My apologies, love. I thought you were just being quiet."

"Oh, no worries. Guess I just kinda passed out there for a bit." You stretch your arms out and yawn, sitting up a little straighter. "Something on your mind?" She doesn't answer, instead glancing off to the side and biting her lip nervously. "Rarity? Whatever it is, you know you can talk to me about it."

"I know, darling. You'll have to forgive my uncertainty. There's...there's something I've been wanting to ask you for a few days now. I just haven't been sure of how to say it."

"Something bothering you?"

Rarity starts speaking rapidly, gesticulating wildly as she does so.

"No, no, it's nothing like that. You see, I've been...well, I suppose one could say that something has been weighing heavily on my mind, and I realize it's a big step for our relationship, so I haven't wanted to accost you with it for fear of not having it come across properly, and--"

"Rarity." You place a hand on her shoulder to calm her down, tilting her head up to look at you. "Whatever it is, you can just say it. I'm not going to be upset. Now, what did you want to ask me?"

She takes a deep breath and softly smiles back at you. After a moment, she quietly speaks up. "Darling, would you...like to move in with me? I realize this is very sudden, and I wouldn't dare expect an answer immediately, but it's something I've been thinking about for quite some time now."

"Oh...wow." You lay your head back on he couch, considering her offer and the possible ramifications of taking such a serious step. "You're sure about this? I mean, it's only been a month. It's not that I wouldn't want to, I just want to make sure you're not making such a decision too rashly, you know?"

"I know, yes," she nods. "I appreciate your concern, my dear. Let it be known, however, that Miss Rarity does not take such important decisions lightly. It's something I've been considering for a while now, and I've come to realize that I would love nothing more than to have you stay with me."

You weren't expecting such an offer, but you consider it carefully anyway. It would alleviate the burden on Twilight, since she shares her library with Spike and her owl...and you've always enjoyed spending time with Rarity. This would certainly make doing so much easier. Still...living with her? Your only real concern is that you'll make an ass of yourself. You've had a few relationships in the past, but none of them ever included living with the girl in question.

"Think of it not only in romantic terms, but practical as well!" She places a hoof to your chest, gesturing to your side. "The Boutique is closer to your current job site than Twilight's library, not to mention the fact that you would undeniably have more room here than in that cramped observatory of hers. Of course..." she smiles up at you sweetly, "...I'm mostly asking because I've rather fallen for you. I know three months doesn't seem like a long time for us to have known each other, but that in that short amount of time I've seen you for who you are: a wonderful, loving, and undeniably sweet man. You've become what I wake up every morning and look forward to. I love you, darling. I love you more than I can ever say."

What doubt you may have had melts away at her sincere outpouring. You really couldn't think of a better arrangement than staying with the girl (or mare) of your dreams; you just hope you don't screw anything up.

"You're absolutely sure about this, Rarity?"

"As sure as I am fabulous," she smiles.

"Well...alright," you nod. "I think we can give it a shot, baby."

"Really?" Her eyes grow wide at your reply, almost shining.

"Yeah, I think we can make this work. Living together is always the strongest test of a relationship, right? I guess we'll find out whether or not we're at each others throats in a week!"

"Oh, that's wonderful, darling! I was hoping you'd agree to it! Goodness, I was worrying about it for quite some time, and I'd no idea how you'd react! My relief is palpable, to put it lightly!" She excitedly kisses all over your face, giggling adorably at the good news. "I foresee great things for us, dear. Why, with my extensive knowledge alone, you'll be the pinnacle of men's fashion in no time!"

"Let's just stick to not tearing into each other for now," you laugh. "Fashion can wait."

"Fashion waits for nopony! Especially not someone as handsome as you, darling." Rarity straddles your lap and smiles lovingly at you, running a hoof under your shirt and sliding it down your chest. "I believe I've made it clear that I'm quite excited by this news," she says, tossing her curly mane.

"So I've noticed. When I came over tonight, the last thing I was expecting was an offer to live with you. A little surprising, to say the least."

"Madame Rarity is nothing if not surprising," she replies, dramatically raising a hoof in the air.

"Exactly. I wouldn't have it any other way." You wrap your arms around her back and pull her closer to you. "I love you too, Rarity. You're the best thing that could have possibly happened to me. Especially since I doubt there's many mares out there looking to get romantic with a tall, ugly human." She laughs at your little joke and rests her forehead against yours.

"Well then, I suppose that's their loss, isn't it?"

==========

For some reason, Fridays seem to pass much slower than the other days. Your eight hours at work certainly felt longer than usual, but at least the prospect of a weekend off has alleviated your frustration with work. If nothing else, it means two days of not having to see the jackass contractor who's recently been sent in from Canterlot. Annoying little uppity douchebag...

"Hey, honey," you say as you walk down the entrance way, staring down at a small stack of letters, bills and advertisements. There's no answer. Odd, you could have sworn she'd be home at this hour. "Rarity? Hey, are you he--"

"PARENTS!"

"AHHH!" You jump so much that you drop the mail on the ground, accompanied by a decidedly unmanly shout.

"They didn't follow you, did they?! Are they walking up to the door?! The Boutique isn't ready!"

"Jeez...what in the world are you talking about?" you ask Rarity, who has started frantically pacing back and forth.

"Oh there just isn't enough time, and I haven't even had the chance to prepare a meal or tidy up, and if they bring Sweetie with them her room isn't ready--"

"Rarity!" you say firmly, very aware of what it takes to snap her out of one of her moods. "Relax, okay? Just take a deep breath. Deeeep breath. Come on, now."

You're relieved to see her stop pacing, instead taking a moment to calm herself. She lets out a long exhale and closes her eyes before speaking to you again. "Oh, goodness. My apologies, darling. The last hour has been somewhat frantic." Rarity's horn flares bright blue as she lifts the mail off the ground, neatly stacking them and setting them aside on the kitchen counter. You follow behind her as she sorts through them, tossing some in the garbage.

"So I noticed. Are you alright, hon? You look like hell."

"A fact I'm all too aware of," she admits. Her mane is frazzled and sticking up all over the place, a sure sign that she's been worrying about something for a good while. "But yes, I suppose I'm alright. Look at me, fretting over my parents when I've yet to even welcome you home. How uncouth!" She stands up and puts her hooves against your chest, giving you a loving kiss and resting her head on your shoulder as you wrap her in a tight hug. "I've missed you, my love. How was your day?"

"I missed you too, baby. It was a long day -- some asshole from Canterlot decided he's not happy with how we're progressing, so he's come down to deal with it himself. Even if that means slowing us down." You grumble at the mention of him, but let it pass without too much thought; no point in worrying about it until Monday. "At least I'm home now. I gotta ask: what's wrong? You look like you haven't slept in days."

Rarity makes a sour face and floats over a comb -- one of the many she keeps stashed around the house -- from a near-by table, running it through her mane and tail as she talks with you. "I suppose it's best to answer you truthfully, hmm?" She fusses with a particularly stubborn bit of hair before shrugging and continuing. "The reason I've been running about is because of some news I've been given. Namely, the fact that my parents are coming up to visit us, and they're supposed to be here some time today."

"Really? That's awfully short notice."

"Yes, I would tend to agree. The only reason I'm even aware of such a thing is because Rainbow Dash was out with the weather team earlier today, and ran into my mother and father up in Whinnypeg."

You grab a glass from the cupboard and pour a tall drink of fruit juice, thirstily gulping it down before continuing the conversation. "Your parents know Dash?"

"Indeed so, though my mother isn't her biggest fan. Anyway, they talked for a little while, and apparently my father mentioned that they were coming up to visit. Rainbow Dash stopped by on her way back and conversed with me about it. Needless to say, I was more than a little surprised."

"No kidding. How long has it been since they've stopped by? Over a month? I think, anyway." You refill your glass and offer a drink to Rarity, who happily accepts. You grab a new one and sit down at the dinner table with her, brushing aside the folded place settings.

"Nearly two months, yes. Father has been busy travelling from town to town in search of 'the latest and greatest in athletic talent', as he puts it."

"Is he still a talent scout for Baltimare?" Rarity's dad has always been nice enough, but his interest in hoofball can be a little hard to follow at times. Not that you should be too surprised by it; after all, he used to play professionally before Rarity was born. These days, he works for his old team -- the Baltimare Thunderbirds.

"Yes, much to mother's chagrin," Rarity replies, taking a sip of her juice. "They've had to travel quite frequently as of the last few months. Obviously mother didn't want to simply be on her own for so long, not that I can blame her. You know how close my parents are."

"Mm-hmm. I was wondering why we haven't had Sweetie stay with us in so long. I take it she's been travelling around with them?"

"That she has," Rarity nods. "Fortunately, mother used to be a teacher, so she's been able to help Sweetie Belle with her schooling. Still, I imagine Sweetie must be quite lonely without her friends around. They're going to be quite excited to see her!"

"So when are they supposed to be by?"

"Honestly? I've no idea," she shrugs. "It could be tonight, it could be five minutes from now. I've been rushing about trying to tidy up the Boutique. Not to mention Sweetie's room isn't ready if she's staying with us for a while."

You've nearly forgotten about Rarity's little sister, who used to stay with you and Rarity a couple of times a month. Hopefully she doesn't get the urge to brand your favorite jacket again. At least her bed is still made, should they stop by.

"Shit, I forgot," you mutter, "what about Fluttershy?"

"Hmm? What about her?" Rarity asks. "She's been gone all day taking care of her veterinary duties."

"Yeah, but when she comes back, and your parents are here..."

Rarity's eyes go wide at the sudden realization.

"Oh...oh, dear. I hadn't thought about it. I suppose mother and father wouldn't say anything if Fluttershy were to stay with us for a day or two. I could simply say she's spending a couple of nights over."

"And if they stay longer?"

"Ehhh..." she grimaces with uncertainty, "I suppose we'll handle things as they come?"

"Maybe. You know someone is gonna find out about it eventually, right? I'd like to think ponies are as open and accepting as you make them out to be, but all it takes is one pony with a bad attitude, and suddenly we're in unneeded drama territory."

She sighs and pushes her empty glass aside.

"Yes, I'm aware of such things, much as I'd like to think it won't come to that. Still, it's not something my parents need to be privy to, at least, not until we're more...established. They had a hard enough time understanding that I'd fallen in love with an entirely different species!"

"Yeah, that was an interesting conversation," you laugh, remembering what you could probably describe as the single most awkward experience of you life. Needless to say, it took a little time for them to get used to the idea. "Well, I guess we'll just roll with it. You want any help tidying up the Boutique before they get here?"

"No thank you, darling. You must be more than ready to be out of those work clothes by now, hmm? I can finish up on my own...provided they don't show up within the next half hour."

"Alright, if you say so. I'm gonna take a quick shower. If you still need help when I'm done, just let me know. Deal?"

"But of course!" Rarity hops down from the chair and sets her small, orange work glasses on her nose, giving a once-over to the kitchen. "I believe it's mostly Sweetie's room and the fitting room area that need a bit of a cleaning. Shouldn't be too terribly difficult." You grab her glass and set it in the sink along with your own, watching her trot around the area and inspect the details you'd no doubt miss. It looks clean to you, but then, your standards aren't as...exacting...as hers.

"Well, I'll be upstairs, then." You lift your shirt up and tuck it under your arm, feeling a little more relieved at the cool air against your bare chest. "You sure you don't wanna join me, hon? Maybe just a quick little session...?"

"Oh, I don't know, dear, there's so much left to do, and I'd hate for mother and father to think I'm some sort of untidy ruffian..."

"Come on. You could use a little break. I'll help you out immediately after. Promise."

Despite her uncertainty, you manage to get a smile out of her. She kicks a hoof playfully at the ground.

"I could be convinced...on one condition."

"And what's that?"

"I get to pick the position this time," she says with a lip bite and an arch of her eyebrow.

"Only if you leave the glasses on," you reply. You remove your belt and throw it over your shoulder, adding a quick, "Well?"

"You drive a hard bargain, my dear," Rarity says, seductively flicking her tail. "But I think we can make that work."

"That's what I like to hear." You offer your hand to let her head upstairs first, grasping at her flank as she walks by. "We can always add 'fix the bed' to our to-do list afterward."

==========

"Mother! Father! It's so wonderful to see you again!"

Rarity happily trots over to her parents, a collection of suitcases floating over their heads. At least you had time to clean up the Boutique, or Rarity would have been freaking out even more than she usually does when her parents are over. It's not that I don't enjoy them visiting, she's said in the past, it's that they always try to 'fix' my business!

Indeed, much of the time spent preparing for their arrival involved shuffling ponnequins into storage closets and removing floor displays until Monday, lest her parents spend an hour commenting on them.

Personally, you've always liked her parents; they're very friendly and down-to-earth, and they seem like they really care for their daughters. In fact, you occasionally remind Rarity that she should feel exceptionally lucky to have both of her parents in her life, because you never did.

Even Sweetie Belle has been fairly open to your odd relationship with her sister -- a fact no doubt helped by your willingness to buy her gifts every so often. You still get the odd look from time to time, though. Even with her magic lessons and increasingly heavy schooling, she's still a child at heart, and occasionally has a hard time wrapping her head around the fact that her sister is in love with a strange-looking creature.

"Heya, kiddo! Long time no see, huh?" Rarity's dad wraps her in a tight hug, rubbing a hoof in her hair. You can almost hear Rarity worrying about her mane from here. "Your mother and I were out and about for quite a while! Not so easy to juggle work and family sometimes, ya know?"

Of the two, Rarity's dad has to be your favorite. He reminds you very much of family and friends you used to see as a kid, right down to the distinctly Chicago accent -- he and his wife both grew up in Maresota. He's always cracking jokes and talking about sports, even if you know basically nothing about hoofball, except that it sounds like it'd be interesting to watch.

"It's so good to see you, father," Rarity says with a smile. "How have you been?"

"Oh you know, same ol', same ol'. Just glad ta be back home! And hey, now ya can see us all da time again!" You're sure Rarity is thrilled by the prospect. She's definitely very different from her parents, at least in demeanor.

"I-I'm sure that will be simply delightful! Aheh heh..."

"Ya darn tootin' it will be!"

"And mother, I'm so glad you decided to come by. It feels like it's been ages, doesn't it?"

"More than ya know, Rarity!" Her mother's big, poofy, purple beehive hairdo bounces as she trots inside, a wonderfully tacky golf visor sticking out from the middle of it. In fact, 'wonderfully tacky' would perfectly describe both of Rarity's parents, much to Rarity's continued horror. If Rarity is the epitome of class and style, her parents are decidedly more laid back...sometimes a little too much.

"Oh, the Boutique looks so nice! I love what you've done with the place! Maybe if we had a little shag carpeting..."

Rarity's eye twitches just enough that you catch it.

"Yes, well...please, come in!"

You step over and stick your fist out for Rarity's dad, who returns the favor after adjusting the over-sized straw hat on his head."Good to see you again, sir."

"Ahhh, come on, I ain't no 'sir'! It may be flatterin' and what-not, but I tell ya, I'd take my name over 'sir' any ol' day! Ha-HA!"

"Fair enough. Welcome back, Gridiron."

"See? Dat's better." He smiles broadly under his impressive mustache -- one of the few you've seen in all of your time in Equestria. "Ya know, you and Rarity should think about addin' a sports section to the Boutique. Maybe get some jerseys goin' or somethin'!" You suddenly have the mental image of Rarity in a cheerleader outfit. And it's extremely distracting. You force yourself to focus on the conversation at hand, but tuck the thought away for later.

"You'd have to talk to Rarity about that one," you shrug. "It's her store, after all."

Rarity prods your side with a hoof, correcting you with a short, "our store."

"Of course. Anyway, yeah, good to see you, Iron. How's everything been?"

"Not bad, not bad." Gridiron readjusts his hat, reaching under it to pull out a folded map. His wife rolls her eyes, but he doesn't seem to notice. "Me and Courtesy here have been real busy, what with da travelin' around and such. Stopped by Whinnypeg, Baltimare, Seaddle...isn't dat right, hon?"

"Oh yeah, been a real busy couple of months, doncha know? Poor Sweetie's been away from her friends for so long!"

Rarity cranes her neck to look around her parents.

"Mom, dad...where is Sweetie, anyway?"

"Oh, don't you worry about her," Courtesy reassures Rarity, setting the stack of suitcases down along the wall. "She wanted to stop by that Apple girl's place before comin' on over. Somethin' about a cape." A small, black book floats from Courtesy's shirt pocket. Presumably names and addresses of ponies they've met. She jots something down quickly before tucking it away again. "Now, why don't ya come over here and give ol' Courtesy a hug, huh? Come on, everypony gather 'round!"

You wrap your arms around the gathered family, though not without casting a glance at Rarity's reaction. Thankfully, she seems to have relaxed somewhat. She may be a little fussier than her parents, but in the end she still adores them.

"There we are! Oh, it's so good to be back!" She looks up at you and smiles, arching an eyebrow. "Do you humans keep on growin' or somethin'? My stars, I swear you're taller every time we see ya!"

"No, no, I'm done growing," you laugh, "I think it's just been a while since we've seen each other."

"Two months! Two months too long, if you ask me!"

"It does feel like it's been quite a while," Rarity adds. "But please, sit down. There's still plenty of space in the living room. We can get reacquainted there, hmm?"

"That's my girl!" Courtesy pinches Rarity's cheek with a hoof, laughing happily as she does. The four of you start making your way to the living room, though Rarity's mom can't resist the temptation to keep talking. "So proper and charming, not like your father here."

"Ah come on now, Courtesy! You know I'm a charmin' kinda stallion!"

"Charming like a bear, Grid. See? I knew that boarding school would pay off in the long run. Isn't that right, Rarity?"

"I like to think it's served me rather well," Rarity replies. "Why, between the Boutique and my darling's job, we're able to afford a quite comfortable standard of life."

"It's certainly bigger than our first home, dearie. You've seen the pictures, right?" Rarity nods at the question. "Probably half the size of this place! I swear, your father was runnin' day and night to spruce the place up, bless his heart."

Gridiron sits down on the couch next to his wife, leaving you and Rarity to sit in a pair of chairs across from them. "All the runnin' was just a convenient excuse to stay outta the house, hon! Heh heh!"

"You are such a stallion, Grid. Sometimes I wonder how I put up with you for so long!"

"Booze. Lots'a booze," he chuckles. "Hey, speakin' of which, you got anything good in that fridge of yours, tall guy?"

You're sure there's something in the fridge, but you'll be damned if you can remember what it is.

"I think so. Want me to grab you somethin'?"

"Would ya? That'd be awful neighborly of ya, so to speak. You want anything, hon?"

"Oh, no thank you, dearie. Maybe just some water, if you have it. Not much of a drinker."

You can still remember the very first time you met Rarity's parents, and how you ended up having a few too many drinks while getting to know them better. Courtesy was out like a light after just a few -- her alcohol tolerance makes Rarity looks like a booze hound.

"Alright, I'll be right back. You want anything, hon?"

"Water for me as well, please," Rarity says, a comb is already levitating at her side, running through her somewhat messy mane. No way she'll let a single hair stay out of place if she can avoid it.

"So, what have you two been up to lately? Anything exciting or interesting goin' on?" Rarity's dad calls out to you as you grab a few drinks from the kitchen. "Any more deities defeated or changelings kicked in the face? Heh heh! Still gets me once in a while...my little girl, all grown up and savin' Equestria. Who woulda thought?"

Well, we found out your daughter was being stalked for two years by a creepy pegasus, so we beat the shit out of him and had him arrested. And it turns out Rarity is in love with her long-time friend, and thus has put us in the odd situation of being in a polygamist relationship. Oh, and her old friend-slash-business-partner is back in town and wants to run her out of business, but still wants to fuck her. But other than that...

"Oh, you know...same old, same old. Work keeps us busy most of the time. Rarity's been busting her flank lately to get all these orders done for the Hearth's Warming Eve celebration that's coming up in a few weeks. We try to go out and have fun when we can, though."

You return with the drinks in hand, passing them out as Gridiron removes his big, worn-in straw hat.

"Come on, now. I know my Rarity, and if dere's one thing I can always be sure of with her, it's dat dere's always somethin' interesting happenin' in her life. Thanks, by da way."

Rarity shoots you a look that says don't say anything dumb. Fortunately, you pull something up before your silence can raise further questions.

"Well, uh...we did head up to Frostvalley Meadows the other week. Really nice place up there. Lots of wine and...stuff."

"Ya know, I always wanted to see what all da hub-bub was about for dat place!" The relief on Rarity's face is almost palpable. "We should take a trip up dere some time, honey! If it's good enough for Rarity, it's good enough for us. Even if I don't know much about dat fancy wine stuff."

"That's our Rarity!" her mother quips. "Ya know, sweetie, when we sent her off to that boardin' school as a filly, she was just heartbroken to leave us. I felt just so terrible puttin' little Rarity on that train. Breaks my heart to this day. But I'll be darned if she didn't get the best education we could afford. My little girl's all grown up now..."

Rarity puts a comforting foreleg around her mom's neck and smiles.

"Oh, mother, you don't have to feel bad about it. You did what you thought was best! After all, I owe my success in life entirely to you and dad. Or so I like to think."

"I know, hon, I know. We just wanted you to have everything we couldn't when we were growin' up, ya know. Only the best for my baby. And just look at you now! So classy and sophisticated, and the talk of Ponyville and beyond. Warms my heart to see it."

Rarity's dad prods you with a hoof and a chuckle. "Even if you did end up with dat tall drink of water dere, heh heh! I'm just playin', sport. Ya may be kinda funny-lookin', but ya take care of my daughter, and dat's all I can ask. Doesn't hurt dat you're not magical, too! I tell ya, bein' in a family with three girls, all of 'em usin' dat fancy magic stuff...it's enough to drive an earth pony insane!"

"Yeah, no magic here, either," you laugh. Though Rarity would probably say fingers are a magic all of their own... "If you don't mind me asking, Iron, why didn't you send Sweetie Belle off to boarding school like Rarity? It seems like if it worked so well for her, it would for her sister, too."

"Eh, dat's a whole other sack of potatoes," he replies with a twitch of his mustache. "We thought about it, but times have changed since Rarity shipped out. At da time we were livin' in Baltimare, and da schools weren't really up to snuff, ya know? So we sent her to boarding school to learn from da best. Once we moved to Ponyville, though, after my years of playin' for da team were up...well, turns out Ponyville is actually a pretty good place. Dat teacher of hers, what's her name?"

"Miss Cheerilee," Rarity answers for you.

"Dat's da one. Miss Cheerilee's been dere for years, and da kids just adore her. She's done a damn fine job of teachin' Sweetie all she knows. Plus, we'd hate to separate Sweetie from her sister. Rarity and Sweetie may have their moments, but ultimately dey love each other like dey should. Isn't that right, pumpkin?"

Pumpkin? Oh, that's too good. Rarity knows it, too -- she catches you stifling a laugh and ends up blushing ever so slightly. Hooray for future blackmail!

"Of course, dad. In fact, I'm quite sad to see that Sweetie isn't with you. I'd have thought for sure she'd want to come by and see us..."

"Eh, don't take it personally, Rarity. You know your sister, always out with dat cutie mark what's-it of hers. When I was her age, I'd just gotten my own. One of the first in my class!" He points just under his blue, flower-print Hawaiian shirt to the trio of hoofballs adorning his flank. "Must be hard for da girl to be without hers. She'll get it soon! Why, I'm sure she's off tryin' to get it right now!"

Clack

You turn your head at the sound of the front door unlocking. Only one pony that could be. Quiet hoof-falls echo through the Boutique as she makes her way around the circular layout and toward the living room, a happy, hummed song accompanying her.

"Hey Flutter--"

"FLUTTERSHY!" Rarity's mom gallops over and tackles Fluttershy in a tight hug, nearly knocking her to the ground. The key she was carrying in her mouth falls to the floor with a clatter as she looks around in confusion -- seeing Rarity's parents when she walked in was probably the last thing she would have expected.

"What a wonderful surprise this is! It feels like it's been ages since we saw your sweet face! Give ol' Courtesy a hug, won't you?"

"Umm...hi...?" Fluttershy relents to the hug, giving you and Rarity a confused look. Rarity shrugs in response; not much to say unless she wants to hear the whole story. "I'm sorry, I wasn't expecting Rarity to have anypony over...."

"Oh, don't you worry about that, dearie! We thought we'd come by and see how our favorite pegasus was doing! You know, I had no idea you were comin' on over. I hope we didn't interrupt any plans or anything like that. Isn't that right, Grid?"

"I'm sure they don't mind," he replies.

Fluttershy picks up her dropped key and tucks it back into her small saddlebags, which are packed with ingredients and vegetables. "It's very nice to see you again, Miss Courtesy. And you, Mister Gridiron, sir."

"Ah, I'm no 'sir'. Just glad to be back! If you girls had something planned we can just stay here while you head out. After all, might as well get comfortable, since we're gonna be here for a few days." Rarity's eyes widen at the statement -- you knew it was possible they might stay for a while, but still...Rarity was hoping for a nice, quick visit. Now things are a little more complicated.

"N-No plans or anything like that, father," she laughs nervously, "I'm sure we can accommodate you and mother. Sweetie's room is ready for her, as always. I'm sure there's enough room to squeeze Fluttershy in, should she want to sleep on some place besides our bedroom floor..."

You shoot a glance at Fluttershy, who returns the favor with a look of nervousness. Fortunately, Rarity's parents aren't very inquisitive about the arrangement. "Ah, perhaps you'll be comfortable down here, mom and dad. The couch pulls out into a queen sized sleeper."

"You know me, pumpkin. I can sleep anywhere."

Heh heh. Pumpkin.

Rarity sets her water bottle down on the table, trotting over to Fluttershy's side to help her unload her saddlebags.

"We were simply going to have a nice meal with our friend. Fluttershy and my darling dearest have been getting along superbly as of late."

"Is that so? Well hay, now we can have a family dinner and you get to spend time with Flutters! Best of both worlds, right?"

"Best of both indeed, aheh heh...you're welcome to join us, of course. I'm sure there's quite a lot of interesting things to share. Even if things around here have been relatively quiet as of late." Quiet like a hurricane, maybe. "Oh, but I did come up with a new magical weaving process!"

"A what?" you ask her.

"Magical weaving process, darling. I've managed to, ah...how do I explain it...I've managed to work faint magical energies into the fabric itself, so that when properly worked into a dress or a suit, allows the affected thread to glow ever so slightly."

You let out a low whistle, not entirely sure what the process is really like, but knowing that it sounds impressive. Knowing Rarity, it's pretty high-quality. "How come I've never heard of this before? Something brand new?"

"Oh yes, very much so!" Rarity practically beams with pride, jumping down from the couch and walking over to a partially assembled dress adorning a ponnequin. "You can see just a bit of it here," she lifts up a portion of the dress, just over the haunches, "although I'd have to turn the lights out for it to be truly effective. I intend for such a thing to be used for outdoor events. At night, of course. With enough time and practice, I could easily include glowing inlays! Think of the potential!" She puts a dramatic hoof to her chest, regally reciting a fantasy headline.

"'Rarity, queen of fashion, creates beautiful, glowing dress for Princess Luna! All of Equestria in awe of her amazing talent!" She laughs quietly, adding, "in theory, anyway. I'm afraid the process as it currently stands is quite taxing. Infusing even a small amount of thread with magical energy takes quite a bit of focus, and as such, I tend to feel rather exhausted after such a process. Not to mention the fact that only one kind of base fabric will actually hold on to the energy I put in it, and it's quite expensive..."

You walk over to the ponnequin with Fluttershy and lift up the portion of the dress Rarity was showing off; sure enough, there's a faint, blue glow to a line of thread that outlines where a mare's curves would be. You cup your hand over a spot to block the light, and it glows ever so slightly more. Fluttershy is certainly impressed by it, staring at it intently for several seconds.

"Wow...that's amazing, Rarity. When did you learn about this?" she asks.

"I'd heard rumors of such a thing for quite some time, but nopony seemed to know anything about it. Truth be told, I'd tried exactly this very thing a few times over the years, but to no avail. Then, last week, when I was down at my new supplier's place, I saw this small, forgotten ball of fabric lying at the back of a shelf. It didn't have a name or a price tag, so I asked about it. The owner's wife said she couldn't sell the stuff to save her life, and I could just take it. So...I did."

"And?"

"And as it turns out, that little ball of fabric thread turned out to be Aetherweave. Just amazing."

"Aetherwhatnow?" Rarity's dad asks between drinks.

"Aetherweave, father. When I took it home I'd planned on implementing it into a dress just to get rid of it, but as I levitated it around I noticed something very peculiar about it: It glowed when my magic interacted with it. The more I focused on it, the more it glowed...only to return to normal once I let it fall back to the floor. Needless to say, I was a bit perplexed."

"No kiddin', kiddo. You unicorns and your fancy magic!" You kinda wish Gridiron would stick around just so you could hear more nicknames.

Rarity continues, trotting back over to the couch with you in tow. "I was curious about what it is I'd found, so I paid Twilight a visit one day while you were at work, darling. Closed up the store and took a few hours to do a bit of research. She was fascinated by the thread, and we spent quite a while trying to find out what it was. The answer to our query was found in an old book of Second Age magic: aetherweave."

You're not exactly a master of pony history, but you do know that the second age was a strange time, full of magic on an unheard of scale, sometimes with disastrous consequences. At least, that's what Twilight's told you.

"What, so...this thread you found was hundreds of years old?"

"Oh, no, don't be ridiculous," she laughs. "I highly doubt a little ball of thread could have survived for so long! No, I went back to the store the next day and asked where they'd received this thread from. Regal Cut had to go back in her records to find the answer, but she soon gave me the name of a zebra, of all things. A mare named Milia."

"Let me guess...she's a reclusive GYPSYYYY," you motion with your hands and do your best to sound spooky, "who lives by herself in the woods, and is the only soul in the land who knows how to create aetherweave! A method passed on through folk songs and ancient practices! WoooOoOoOOooo!"

Rarity arches an eyebrow at you.

"...nooo, she lives on Majestic Plains avenue. Just short of a ten minute walk from here."

"Oh." Well, so much for your crazy hermit theory.

"Honestly, where would you even get such an idea? Ridiculous." You shrug in response. "Anyway...after I'd spoken with Regal Cut I tried to go by Miss Milia's place, but she wasn't home. It took a few more days, but eventually I managed to meet with her. We struck up a conversation about the fabric; it's quite interesting, really! You see, zebras don't have horns to manipulate magic, so they use brews and potions to do so. They can't levitate anything, like I can, but they can infuse materials with magical properties. Hence the aetherweave. I asked her about it and she said that it used to be quite popular in her old home lands, up until a few decades ago when cheaper fabric shipped in from Equestria became the norm. The particular ball of thread I found was one she'd created nearly ten years ago, but nopony was buying at the time. So, it just sat there until I picked it up."

"How come you didn't mention this before? Seems to me like you'd be eager to talk about it."

"Oh, I try not to bother you with the intricacies of fabric and thread, dear. Let's not kid ourselves: you're not really much for that sort of thing."

"Fair enough," you admit with a sip of your beer. "I mean, not to say that I'm not interested in your work, hon."

"I know what you mean, darling, don't fret over it."

Rarity's mom finally chimes in, asking what you've been thinking: whether or not Rarity struck a business deal with her. It really wouldn't surprise you.

"As a matter of fact...no. No I didn't." Oh. That's a little surprising. "But! I got her to show me how to create more of that aetherweave. It's a rather complicated process, and the materials can be pricey, but if I play my cards right I should be able to make a tidy profit from aetherweave infused dresses! I believe a bit of a marketing campaign is in order. Perhaps a sort of...retro-modern look! But that's a little ways down the line from here. For now, I'm focusing on finishing up my orders for Hearth's Warming Eve."

"What about that one?" Fluttershy points to the previously mentioned ponnequin.

"Ah, that's actually a prototype, of sorts. A customer came into the shop yesterday and said she wanted something that 'pops'. Something unique. My finest work, as she put it. So, I told her I had something in mind, something that would leave a glowing impression, hm-hmm."

You have to resist the urge to facepalm at the terrible pun. You still can't help but roll your eyes, though.

"Well I thought it was clever! Anyway, as I was saying, I convinced her to pay a bit extra for something nopony else would have this year. Amazing what a little showboating can do for one's ego, hmm? Oh yes...once word has spread, Rarity will be the fashion icon of Equestria! Then we'll see how Cashmere likes me."

"Wait a sec, wait a sec," Gridiron interrupts. "Cashmere? Like, your old friend Cashmere? Da one who opened da Boutique witcha?"

Rarity sighs, adding a quiet, "the very same."

"No kiddin'! Ya know, your mother and I ran into her a couple'a weeks ago!"

"You did what now?" Her ears perk up at the statement. Whatever it's about, Grid's got her attention.

"Oh, yeah, it was real nice! She was up in Baltimare for somethin' or other. Lookin' for a new place to open a store in the future, I think. Said she was gonna move on up dere as soon as she 'took care of ya'. She always was such a nice girl. I think she means to help ya out, kiddo!"

Rarity looks off to the side, obviously trying to figure out how to break the news to her parents. "Did...did she say anything else?"

"Not too much, sweetie," her mom answers. "We just saw her briefly. It was nice to see her, though! Oh, I nearly forgot! She wanted us to say hello to you, and said that she was going to have a surprise for you soon."

Uh oh.

"Wouldn't that be nice? Gone for all this time, and she may just show up one day with a Hearth's Warming Eve gift! Goodness, reminds me of the time you two spent together as a couple of wide-eyed kids just out of Talent School."

Rarity lets out a deep breath and looks up at her parents.

"Mother, father...do you have the time to talk frankly?"

"Of course, dearie. We're talking now, aren't we? We don't have anywhere else to be tonight, except to pick up Sweetie, but that's not for a while."

"Good. That's good." She places a hoof in your hand, and you squeeze it gently for support. You knew it had to be brought up eventually.

"You see, there's...there's something about Cashmere you need to know..."

===